FSA Extends Emergency Grazing to November 30

Indiana Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Julia A. Wickard this week announced that emergency grazing provisions have been extended for certain practices under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) for all Indiana counties until November 30, 2012.

The practices in the table below are being extended in response to the critical need for livestock forage due to the ongoing drought.

Practice Description
CP1 Permanent Introduced Grasses and Legumes
CP2 Permanent Native Grasses
CP4B Permanent Wildlife Habitat Corridors
CP4D Permanent Wildlife Habitat
CP10 Vegetative Cover (Grass Already Established)
CP18C Permanent Salt Tolerant Vegetative Cover
CP38 SAFE CP25 Rare and Declining Habitat

Extensions are not authorized for the following practices: CP8A, Grass Waterway-Noneasement; CP23, Wetland Restoration; CP23A, Wetland Restoration, Non-Floodplain; CP27, Farmable Wetlands Pilot Wetland; CP28, Farmable Wetlands Pilot Buffer; CP37, Duck Nesting Habitat; and CP41, FWP Flooded Prairie Wetlands.  Emergency haying is not extended.

All haying under emergency provisions was completed by August 31st; while grazing must end November 30th.   Authorized producers can use the CRP acreage for their own livestock or may grant another livestock producer use of the CRP acreage.

Producers must obtain a modified conservation plan at their local FSA Office.  There will be a 10 percent annual payment reduction for CRP acres used for grazing under these emergency provisions, which was reduced from 25 percent recently by Secretary Vilsack. The payment reduction is only for 2012 due to the drought conditions for grazing through September 30th.  For grazing after September 30th, an additional grazing request must be in place with a 25 percent reduction assessed from the 2013 CRP annual payment.

“Indiana farmers have experienced a touch-and-go growing season.  Pastures were depleted due to the extreme heat and dry weather so this extension gives some additional time for ruminant animals to graze,” said Wickard.  Wickard reminds producers that they should check with their local FSA office for clear guidance on what CRP practices are eligible.

Additional information is available at www.fsa.usda.gov or you can visit the Indiana FSA Drought page at www.fsa.usda.gov/in for more Indiana drought-related information.

Source: Indiana FSA

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